Author
Topic: 5D III - Camera of the year 2012 (Read 18739 times)

Zlatko

ChilledXpress, I agree with you. I used to buy the 1D series for weddings, but no longer need to. The 5D series now has what I needed from the 1D series; and it's cheaper and easier to carry. People who think the 5DIII is just a 5DII with the AF "fixed" don't realize that it's an entirely new camera, with upgrades throughout (100% viewfinder, shorter shutter lag & mirror blackout, quiet shutter mode, better high ISO, etc.). I think the 1D series still shines for high speed action such as sports and in really harsh environments that break lesser cameras. And I believe the 1D series still offers some extra performance at the high ISO end.

ChilledXpress

ChilledXpress, I agree with you. I used to buy the 1D series for weddings, but no longer need to. The 5D series now has what I needed from the 1D series; and it's cheaper and easier to carry. People who think the 5DIII is just a 5DII with the AF "fixed" don't realize that it's an entirely new camera, with upgrades throughout (100% viewfinder, shorter shutter lag & mirror blackout, quiet shutter mode, better high ISO, etc.). I think the 1D series still shines for high speed action such as sports and in really harsh environments that break lesser cameras. And I believe the 1D series still offers some extra performance at the high ISO end.

So very true. I have read this forum for a couple of years now and I am perplexed by the detractors of the 5D3. It is the refined beast that I had hoped for. In the end though they are tools with pluses and minus columns. I would love a camera to have "all" my wishes and cost 1/2 of its predecessor but I know Canon isn't making a camera based on just my needs... it's always a compromise. I've owned a few 1 series but now with the 5D3, the game changed.

That said, the 1Dx is a great camera and yes there are a few pluses (the ones you mentioned and a few others) that the 5D3 can't match but after a couple of weeks with both... I'm not convinced the 1DX is "better" than the 5D3. I'm thinking return and go after more glass and a third 5D3. Besides, bodies come and go... my lenses are here to stay.

BTW... Silent shutter is quite possibly the one big plus that I miss the most on the 1DX.

Welcome consolation for the impatient ones (me) that bought the 5diii at full retail + tax.

Yes it' been 9 months but it still hurts...

Great Cam though and some nice memories I shot with it...

I didn't pay the full price, but it came down just after I bought mine in July as a grey import. However, if I didn't buy it when I did, there are a lot of shots I wouldn't otherwise have achieved, at least not to the same image quality, so I don't have any regrets.

It sure is a nice time to be a 5DmkIII owner! As much as I don't like seeing the price fall it is inevitable as is the nature of these things. I have got to say that not only am I happy with the IQ that this camera is capable of, it is also a great shooting experience to use one in the hands. I soon forget about the money I paid for it when looking at the shots it has let me take!

Yes, this was actually a very good article summarizing the advantages/disadvantages of the major releases and explaining their rationale.

A very brief take-away: Canon, Nikon and Sony all released excellent cameras. 5DIII got the edge largely because of the range of improvements, including focus and because its excellent low-light performance was deemed more useful and significant than the high resolution of the D800: "...we felt strongly that the Canon produced the best balance across all imaging factors, with Low or better noise up to ISO 12,800, and still acceptable noise at ISO 25,600."

I found this assessment of the D800 very interesting: "Noise is Low or better only to ISO 800, and Unacceptable at ISO 12,800."

From everything I've read and heard about the 5DIII this sounds like a well-deserved honor.

I have them, after 12800iso the 5dmk3 is little bit better than d800 , same size and rawat 6400iso d800 shows visible more details and the noise is on par with 5dmk3

why are they not mention the 14 stops DR at base iso?

Could it be that it is not that high in reality as it is in DxO's proprietary formula?

well I have shown the difference many times, even here

Yes you have, many, many times, and no one is arguing that fact. That is only one aspect of a great camera, and alot of photographers feel there is more than just DR. That review proved it.

Nazareth

I'm struggling to justify the value of the 1DX in comparison to the 5D3's.

Don't struggle- the cost of the 1DX is the price of 2 1/2 5d3's but the shutter will last the same length of time as 2 1/2 5D3's too (roughly)- plus it's a much more rugged camera, which means that when hte shutter eventually does die, the camera will still be in good shape and you can have the shutter replaced for about $400 or so (even at $1000 or even more, it woudl astill be worth it). Plus the 1DX is blazing fast, feels great inhand, better weather sealing etc etc etc- YUou're getting a LOT of camera for $7000- and reasonably taken care of, will last a long time with only minimal future investment in new shutter if needed. The 5d3's are not made as ruggedly, and are more prone to break down from rough use- the seals aren't as good, etc- they are still great cameras, but the above reasons are what pursuaded me to purchase the 1DX over the 5D3- and I beleive in thel ogn run it wil lactually be cheaper owning it over the 5D3's

I'm struggling to justify the value of the 1DX in comparison to the 5D3's.

Don't struggle- the cost of the 1DX is the price of 2 1/2 5d3's but the shutter will last the same length of time as 2 1/2 5D3's too (roughly)- plus it's a much more rugged camera, which means that when hte shutter eventually does die, the camera will still be in good shape and you can have the shutter replaced for about $400 or so (even at $1000 or even more, it woudl astill be worth it). Plus the 1DX is blazing fast, feels great inhand, better weather sealing etc etc etc- YUou're getting a LOT of camera for $7000- and reasonably taken care of, will last a long time with only minimal future investment in new shutter if needed. The 5d3's are not made as ruggedly, and are more prone to break down from rough use- the seals aren't as good, etc- they are still great cameras, but the above reasons are what pursuaded me to purchase the 1DX over the 5D3- and I beleive in thel ogn run it wil lactually be cheaper owning it over the 5D3's

You mistake value for cost...

I shoot in some extreme enviros, I shoot underwater and Tahoe outback snow also (finally some decent snow here in Cali). For my needs, the 5D3 weathers those storms just fine. Granted Hawai'i and Tahoe are not "to the limit extreme" but those situations definetely challenge the "ruggedness" of most camera bodies I use. Accidents happen, dumps while boarding, UW leaks, sand, rain, etc. If I were in the arctic@-80 that might be another story. I switch bodies every few years and have only once burnt up a shutter. Feeling great in the hand isn't a huge selling point and contributes only a minor aspect to the value of any body IMO. I'd suffer third degree burns if I thought the camera I was using was the very best in the world. Besides, as I hold both 5D3 and a 1DX at the same time... they both feel great in hand. I look at camera bodies the same I do cards and batteries, consumables. So I won't defend ANY camera body as the end-all-be-all answer to every question.

I guess if I worked for the NFL or shot BIF then I might feel more inclined to keep the 1DX. Don't get me wrong, love the 1DX but do I think it's better than a 5D3... absolutely not! It’s just another tool for different needs. As it stands now, I'm thinking a 200-400 might be a better fit, if it ever materializes.

From all the reviews I see comparing it with other cameras, the Canon 5d mark III seems to blow everything else away except in dynamic range and shadow noise. The 5D3 does look fairly bad when the shadows are pushed while the Nikon D600 & D800 are clean. This is a huge asset as being able to boost the shadows would bring back a ton of detail in landscape shots. Check out the comparisons: http://learningcameras.com/reviews/4-dslrs/79-nikon-d600-vs-canon-5d-mark-iii-